


In the Name of Love

by Janie94



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Abduction, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Angst, Bonding, Dragon!Jakub, M/M, Mates, Mentions of non-con, Possessive Behavior, Wyvern!Łukasz
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-04 01:43:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14009451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Janie94/pseuds/Janie94
Summary: When his mate Łukasz gets abducted by The Black King, Jakub travels to the latter's kingdom to rescue him.But Jakub might get more than he bargained for...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Blue_Night](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Night/gifts).



> My dearest Blue_Night
> 
> I wish you a very, very Happy Birthday!!! You're a wonderful person, so may all your wishes come true! :-*  
> I hope that you will like my gift to you even though my past week was very strainous and I could only write bits and pieces of it which hopefully won't show in the result.  
> The next week won't be much better, but I hope to have the second chapter done by next Sunday. You mentioned in one of your comments under 'Dragon Love' that you wanted your own dragons and certain people would make for wonderful dragons and wyverns... Well, I agree and decided to write it as a birthday present to you. I settled in a more medieval world as it fitted much better with my story. And I couldn't help but add Robert, Thomas and Manuel as important characters but they will only appear in the second chapter.
> 
> My dear readers
> 
> This story can of course be read on its own, but there are a few concepts (like what a Dragon's Heart or a Dragon's treasure truly mean) that were thoroughly explained in my fic called 'Dragon Love'. Since the giftee knows the later story by heart, I decided not to repeat myself. The story can be read and understood without this knowledge nevertheless.

 

 

**In the Name of Love**

 

 

“What do you think?” Jakub inquired after having finished reading the letter his general Sokratis had brought him. The wyvern had not said a single word since he had delivered the writing to his king, a deep frown on his face.

Now he bent his head, avoiding Jakub’s gaze as he answered him. “I think we should only accept the hand of people we trust. We know nothing beyond the popular stories about The Black King. And as useful as an alliance with such a strong dragon could be, it isn’t worth upsetting our friends for that.” Finally he looked up, a determent look in his eyes as he continued. “I’d rather fight the most powerful enemy than even a single one of our friends.”

Jakub suppressed a smile at these words. He had expected such an answer from his loyal general and it was what he believed as well. Not much might be known about the mysterious dragon in the North called ‘The Black King’ but Jakub knew that he had been supposed to get married to a wyvern from the old, noble families. Erik Durm’s parents had been ruling the Western Forest for as long as history dated back and they had arranged the marriage of their son to The Black King centuries ago, obviously delighted by the perfect match that would help them gain more power. But not long after Erik had become king, he had fallen in love with a human and called off the marriage. His announcement had caused a lot of uproar not only in his own kingdom, for a human becoming a king’s consort had been unheard of. Jakub had been surprised as well but he and his own consort had of course attended the wedding and the young, handsome human had taken their heart by storm.

It was obvious that Marco would have no problems proofing himself worthy of Erik’s love and after the shock of their people had settled, they had been able to see what a wonderful man he was. He had been a beautiful sight that day, wearing a long, black garment that had been floating around his feet with each step and golden threads accentuating the expensive clothing. Marco’s blond hair had shone golden in the bright sunlight of the warm summer day and his eyes had sparkled with pure joy as he had walked along the path towards the waiting Erik, the citizens of not only their capital city Dortmund but the whole Yellow Kingdom cheering at him from every side. In this moment Jakub had known without a doubt that Erik had made the right choice even if it might be an unorthodox one.

The Black King had not attended the marriage which was understandable. Erik’s sudden refusal to keep the promise his parents had made a long time ago must have hurt his pride deeply. Three peaceful years had passed since that day and not much had been heard about the Black King ever since but Jakub had always known that the day would come that he would have to choose sides. And that fateful day had now arrived.

Carefully Jakub handed the letter with the red wax seal showing the Black King’s crest to his consort, silently asking him for his opinion. Łukasz skimmed over the letter quickly before meeting Jakub’s gaze calmly. “I’m not so sure rejecting The Black King would be a wise decision. This is the first time he is asking for an alliance with anybody and there must be a good reason for why he is willing to extend his hand to us now.”

“You heard the stories, haven’t you?” Jakub retorted, unable to hide his disbelief at his mate’s hesitation. “He is apparently even more violent than his parents were. They say he slaughtered a whole village when he found the man he wanted to become his prey. These were his own people and he killed them all without even waiting to hear their pleas for mercy.”

Łukasz nodded. “I know. But people can change.”

“I’m not betting on that, especially not when it means endangering our people and upsetting our friendship with the Yellow Kingdom.”

“Erik has never even met The Black King.” Łukasz reminded him.

“And that’s a good thing, otherwise this tyrant might have never let him leave again.” Jakub retorted with a hint of anger at the thought. “Erik gets anxious whenever someone even mentions the name of his former betrothed and Marco gets possessive as he knows how likely it is that The Black King will take revenge one day and try to take Erik away from him by violence.”

Łukasz fell silent then, folding the piece of paper in his hand and putting it back into its envelope before he stepped closer towards Sokratis. “Take me to The Black King’s messenger. I will tell him the reasons for us declining his king’s offer in a more polite manner than my husband will most likely be able to.”

Jakub was about to protest, scandalized by Łukasz implying that he might be too hot-headed to deal with his guest but one look from the blond wyvern made him shut his mouth again. Jakub’s eyes narrowed when he could see an amused grin tugging at the corner of Sokratis’ mouth even though his general was trying his best to appear stoic, turning around to lead Łukasz out of the throne room.

Jakub sighed as he thought about the likely consequences of his refusal, but he knew he had done the right thing as he could not have an alliance with both Erik and The Black King.

And yet he couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling settling in his stomach while he was waiting for Łukasz to return. It took the latter barely twenty minutes to do so and he took only one look at Jakub before sending Sokratis and the guards outside with a single wave of his hand to give them a moment of privacy.

“There was no right decision here, Kuba.” Łukasz told him softly. “We cannot afford to lose our alliance with the Yellow Kingdom, otherwise we will run out of important resources and eventually our people will starve.”

Jakub knew he was right yet he couldn’t help but add. “Instead I might bring war with the Black Kingdom over them.”

“As I said before, there was no right choice to make here. Standing by Erik and Marco shows your sense of loyalty and friendship though, something that is rather hard to find these days.”

Jakub had nothing to say to that, he merely reached out to embrace his mate, holding him tightly for a long moment. It had been straining days for him but touching his mate always brought him comfort, even now – more than sixty years since their marriage. “I’m tired of my human form. It has been two weeks since we last took a day off to conquer the sky in our true forms.”

Łukasz pulled back with a fond smile. “Then we will do that tomorrow, darling. Sokratis will be able to manage this kingdom without you for a day.”

“That sounds good to me.” Kuba agreed and anticipation filled him when he thought of the next day, a day that he was sure would be perfect…

 

***

 

… and ended in disaster.

Jakub was screaming in pain and fury even before Sokratis had finished speaking, tongues of blazing fire burning the surrounding landscape as he roared his despair to the sky. His general flinched but remained where he was, only the slight tremor of his wings betraying his fear as the smaller creature waited for whatever Jakub would do now.

His behaviour was perfectly understandable as the news he had just brought his king concerned the latter’s mate and dragons tended to not think reasonable when their mates were in danger. But eve n though Jakub’s heart was burning with the need to torture, hurt and kill, he knew that Sokratis was not to blame for what had happened to Łukasz.

Though he usually preferred to use telepathy when he was in his true form, Jakub forced himself to use the Wyvern’s tongue this time as he wasn’t sure invading someone’s mind was a good idea with the emotional state he was in. _“Did you see who took him?”_

 _“Only briefly,”_ Sokratis admitted with a regretful expression. _“The men wore only light armor with black clothes and a golden crest showing a dragon wrapped around a bright star.”_

Jakub growled loudly, the sound making the ground beneath their feet shake. _“The crest of The Black King! He of all people should have known better than to kidnap a dragon’s mate! Gather our men, General, we will head for his kingdom first thing tomorrow morning. If this atrocious king wants to have war, then he will have it.”_

A look of horror spread on Sokratis’ face. _“But, my King, his kingdom is thrice as large as ours! We would not stand a chance if we declared war on him!”_

This time Jakub’s furious roar managed to make the wyvern bend his head in submission even though he was known for his defiant nature even across the borders.

_“Then send messengers to all our friends, reminding them of the loyalty they pledged to me. Start with Erik and Marco, I’m sure they won’t hesitate to stand by my side.”_

Jakub was barely able to hold himself together, his thoughts swirling around Łukasz. Sokratis had said they had merely kidnapped him but who knows what had happened then? If his Łukasz was even still alive…

It took him a moment to realize that Sokratis had not retreated but was still standing before him, apparently waiting for permission to speak.

_“What is it, General?”_

_“My King, I don’t think it’s a wise decision to declare war on The Black King. He planned this attack, it can’t have been by accident that he managed to capture your husband. He must have known how deep this would cut you, so I guess he was hoping to provoke this kind of reaction from you.”_

Jakub let out a sneer, his patience running out with each second ticking by. _“I don’t care if he planned this. He will pay for what he did, I will strangle him with my bare claws!”_

Sokratis ducked his head even deeper though his voice remained steady. _“You are not thinking straight, Jakub.”_ Jakub stilled when he heard the wyvern address him by his first name. Sokratis was never one to break protocol unless he was talking to Jakub as a friend rather than his general. His sudden hesitation seemed to give the latter the courage to go on. _“I can’t imagine how it must feel like to know that your mate is in danger. But please, take a moment to think. If The Black King did this on purpose, then he is prepared for us and this is most likely a trap.”_

Jakub kept quiet for a moment, forcing himself to see beyond his fury. He knew that Sokratis was right, but it was hard to think rational when Łukasz was concerned. Every dragon was protective and even possessive of their mate, but Jakub had always belonged to the most emotional ones. The thought of something happening to his beloved Łukasz drove him out of his mind with worry. And yet as he tried to calm himself, he instinctively reached for the bond he shared with his mate. There was no response of course as Łukasz was a wyvern and therefore unable to use magic like dragons could, but the bond was still there. Jakub was sure that he would be able to feel it if his mate died, so Łukasz must still be alive. That thought managed to calm the storm in his heart a little bit. With great difficulty he forced himself to shift, restraining his dangerous true form to take on the strong, well-built human form people were familiar with. “You’re right, Sokratis, I’m sorry. I have a kingdom to lead and a responsibility towards its people, I should be above this.”

The wyvern heaved a sigh of relief before shifting into his dark-haired human form with much more ease than Jakub had done. “No, it’s alright, you don’t have to apologize. Łukasz is your beloved heart, naturally his safety is all you can think about now. You still have me to remind you of your duties and I will gladly do that whenever you are about to do something precipitous.”

Jakub couldn’t help a little smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Thank you, I appreciate that.”

Sokratis accepted the praise with a little nod. “Always glad to be of service, your Majesty.”

Jakub closed his eyes. “Is there anything else you can tell me? Perhaps the men who took Łukasz will only hand him over once they have received their ransom?”

Sokratis shook his head. “I recognized the one leading the group, it was the same man that came to us to deliver the message yesterday.”

Jakub bit his lip as he remembered the tall, dark-haired human that had come to their castle. “Mats Hummels, The Black King’s general. If I had known he would disrespect my hospitality like that, I would have beheaded him when I had the chance. But I don’t understand, he is only a human. How could he make contact with The Black King so quickly? The mountain where their castle is rumored to be is a five days foot march away.”

Jakub’s thoughts drifted to Mats, trying to figure him out. He had been surprised to realize yesterday that The Black King had chosen a human as his general. He must be a skilled warrior and have formidable leading qualities to make up for the lack of magic. Jakub was not opposed to humans acquiring high military ranks but he was the exception, most dragons thinking otherwise. Humans were fragile and had a short life span, not exactly what a magical creature was searching for to lead his army.

Jakub shoved the thought aside. “I can’t openly declare war on The Black King. But I’ll be damned if I don’t do everything in my power to rescue my mate. Ask for my horse to be saddled, I will leave by morning.”

Sokratis froze. “Leave? But you’re the king and your consort is missing, you can’t just leave.”

Jakub’s eyes narrowed, asking the wyvern not to argue with him where his mate was concerned. “You’re right, Łukasz is missing. So I will bring him back to us and you will take over matters until I have returned. Don’t allow anybody to enter my private chambers, tell them the king is grieving for his mate and it might take a while until he is ready to show himself. No one must know that I’m gone!”

He could see that Sokratis was far from happy with the order but he kept his concern to himself, apparently realizing that this was the only compromise he would get. “As you wish, my King.”

 

***

 

That night Jakub had a nightmare.

He dreamed of Łukasz kneeling at the steps of an unfamiliar room, a throne room judging by its similarity to Jakub’s. His beautiful blond mate was holding his head high in a clear sign of defiance, not willing to show any sign of submission despite the hard grip of the two guards at his sides. Jakub felt a wave of pride coursing through him, but then the door was opened and a large black creature was flying inside. The dream was too blurry to make out any details, Jakub’s vision limited to Łukasz and the guards holding him, one of which he recognized as Mats.

But it was Łukasz’s reaction to black creature that shocked Jakub the most, the blond’s eyes widening before a shiver ran down his back, one that was very familiar to Jakub as he had thought it was reserved for him. Desire.

Łukasz caught himself, closing his eyes as though he wanted to break free from whatever spell the tall black dragon in front of him had put him under.

At the same time a voice spoke inside of their heads and Jakub froze at the velvet-like sound of it. _Soften your grip, Mats, Javi. I told you our guest is very precious to me._

The guards obeyed instantly, their grip turning just light enough to remind Łukasz that he was still a prisoner. The blond didn’t acknowledge the change, his eyes still closed as he sneered. “I’m not your guest, I’m your prisoner!”

The dragon stepped closer and Jakub tried hard to focus on him, but the features didn’t sharpen, staying so blurred that he knew it must be strong magic concealing the dragon from his eyes.

_I’m very sorry for the measures I had to take to bring you here, but let me assure you I mean you no harm. You are free to walk in this castle on your own and I will grant you unrestricted access to my private chambers._

Łukasz replied with a humorless laugh. “You are a fool if you think I wouldn’t try to kill you in your sleep!”

_And you are a fool if you believed this would work. You are mated to a dragon, you should know I can’t be killed so easily._

“Your human form is a different matter though and I could considerably weaken you,” Łukasz argued with a challenging grin. “Or do you want to tell me that the stories are true and you sleep in your dragon form? That you are so cruel and cold-hearted that you are unable to restrain your dragon side to take on a human disguise.”

Jakub had heard the stories too, everybody had. But he had never met a dragon that could not shift into a human. The black dragon stepped even closer, standing directly in front of Łukasz. _The stories are true indeed. But if you would finally look at me, you would see that I don’t need a human form to be pleasing to the eyes._

Łukasz tensed and Jakub was reminded of his earlier reaction at seeing the creature in front of him. “I won’t fall for your tricks. Whatever your agenda is, I belong to Kuba and no one else. I’m his bonded mate and you better respect that.”

The dragon raised his claw to Łukasz’s face and Kuba shivered in fear at seeing the physical difference between them, the claw so large that Łukasz whole head would fit into it easily. This dragon was at least as tall as Kuba himself, most likely even taller. _You might belong to him, but you will belong to me as well. You will become my treasure, Łukasz_.

Jakub froze in sync with his mate, both of them horrified at the implications of these words. The older one wanted to scream and trash but he was unable to move in this dream, watching his mate trembling violently before he got a hold of himself. When Łukasz replied, his voice was firm though. “Do whatever pleases you. You can force yourself onto me all you want, but my heart will only ever belong to Kuba.”

The dragon chuckled, something akin to tenderness in his voice. _I won’t force myself onto you, Łukasz, I won’t need to. Because you will want me. If you just looked at me, you would understand why._

Łukasz only pressed his eyes more firmly together. “I won’t fall under your spell and betray my mate!”

The dragon sighed before finally dropping his claw from Łukasz’s face. _I see that you are not ready to allow me in. But you will in due time._ He turned away and spread his menacing wings before ordering. _Mats, return to your duties. We should be prepared for an attack from the White Kingdom. Javi, escort our guest to his chambers. See to him receiving everything he asks for, but don’t allow him outside of the castle grounds._

With a large leap of his wings the black creature took off at the same time that Kuba resurfaced from his dream, waking up in his bed drenched in sweat and panting hard. He wanted to scream in despair, knowing somehow that this had been no ordinary dream. The Black King wanted Jakub’s mate as his treasure and there was only one way to consummate that bond…

Jakub could only pray that Łukasz would remain strong and not fall for the obvious magical skills of his captivator. And that the king would not lose patience and continue to wait until he was convinced Łukasz wanted him, as though the beautiful wyvern could ever want anyone willingly besides Jakub.

The worry for his beloved heart kept Jakub awake for the remaining hours until dawn arrived.

 

***

 

Jakub allowed Roman, a human and one of the soldiers usually guarding the castle, to take him to the border of their lands where a ship was waiting for them. They would travel two days by ship to the Black Kingdom across the sea. Roman had picked clothes for Jakub that were casual enough not to arise suspicion but still implied that Jakub was of noble origin and should be treated as such. Jakub liked the comfortable feel of the tight light brown leather pants and the black shirt he was wearing underneath the dark green cloak, the hood hiding his features. Jakub had used a spell that would prevent anyone from recognizing his features but one could never be sure.

Roman seemed to be even more nervous than Jakub, feeling responsible for the safety of his king. Jakub wondered if it was a good idea to let Roman return to their kingdom on his own but Jakub didn’t want to drag anyone into this in case something went wrong. And he had only paid for smuggle one man in, not two.

The merchant ship Jakub and Sokratis had chosen was already laying at bay and Jakub had to stifle violent thoughts as he saw its crew preparing everything for takeoff. They might be people from the Black Kingdom but they were not responsible for the actions of their king.

Roman’s low voice interrupted his thinking. “Are you sure about this, your Majesty? This is no place for a king.”

“Well, it’s a good thing that I am no king here.” Kuba replied. “And I will be even less of one once I have set foot onto the enemy’s ground.”

“But the magic of your own kingdom protects you. You will not have that advantage in the Black Kingdom.”

Jakub nodded grimly. “I know. But I can’t afford to let that stop me. I would rather die trying to rescue Łukasz from the claws of that monster than living a life without him, knowing that I abandoned my mate. I could never forgive myself for that.”

Roman looked like he had expected such an answer though he looked far from happy about it. “I will pray to the Gods that you will return to us safely. Both of you.”

“Thank you” Jakub replied with a genuine smile before they both walked towards the pier where the captain of the ship was busy doing the last paperwork. He was joking with two of his teammates, the loud laughter making him look less intimidating than he usually did. The man was around Jakub’s height and age even though the sparkle in his eyes made him look much younger. There was a large scar over the right side of his face that drew Jakub’s attention immediately, a soft bristle of dark magic surrounding them that only Jakub could see. The marks of a dragon.

Jakub felt a lump forming in his throat and he was glad that Roman was the one to speak. “Captain, this is Lord Piszczek, your guest for your next passage.”

There was a painful tug in Jakub’s chest at Roman using the name he had chosen to hide his heritage. It was Łukasz’s maiden name, the one that he had first introduced himself to Jakub and a name that barely anyone associated with the king’s consort. Only a few noblemen from their kingdom remembered Jakub’s husband as anyone else than Łukasz Błaszczykowski…

Jakub suppressed a wistful smile at the thought of his beloved heart and offered his hand to the man in front of him. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Captain.”

The man stared at him curiously for a moment, something akin to wariness briefly flickering in his eyes before he accepted Jakub’s hand. “Please call me Franck. You will be standing at least two days with us and I won’t have you shouting ‘captain’ on deck whenever you want something from me like some pathetic sailor licking my feet.”

Jakub’s mouth curled in amusement at the harsh words. He liked people being straightforward with him and Franck seemed not to care about their status. Not that Jakub considered rubbing that in his face, after all he was the one needing a favor from Franck. “Fine with me. I’m Jakub then.”

Franck nodded and pointed towards the man at his left, one who was several years younger than the captain with a kind face and dark skin that had a warm glow in the bright sun. “David is my right-hand man, he will show you to your cabin.”

Jakub followed the man called David on board of the ship, chuckling when he finally read the name painted onto it. “ _Robbéry_? That’s a strange name for a ship.”

David followed his gaze and instantly joined Jakub’s low laughter. “Actually it’s an inside joke. You might find out soon enough what it means.”

Jakub only raised an eyebrow but accepted the cryptic answer, allowing the younger one to show him to his cabin. It was sparsely furnished, only a bed and a small wardrobe but much cozier than he had anticipated.

David grinned. “You look like you expected us to make you sleep in some dirty, dark hole.”

“That was kind of my expectation, yes.” Jakub admitted.

“You paid half of the agreed amount in advance, Franck hasn’t forgotten that. He appreciates people being honest with him. I know he has a character that takes some time getting used to but if you manage to earn his trust, he will never ever let you down.”

Jakub held his gaze. “Looks like you know what you are talking about.”

David’s sincere, warm smile was almost disarming. “Yeah, Franck’s my best friend. We have been through a lot together.”

He left Jakub alone then and after a moment Jakub returned to the deck to bid his goodbye to Roman. The human was eying him with so much concern that Jakub almost had a bad conscious leaving him behind. Nevertheless he clasped the man’s forearm and lowered his voice so no one else could hear them. “Don’t worry, Roman, I will be fine. I’m a dragon, remember?”

“It’s not these men who scare me. They seem like a bunch of fine people and Sokratis surely has done his research, he would have never chosen this ship if he had any doubts.” He hesitated a moment before adding quietly. “But I’m worried what will happen once you arrive at the Black Kingdom. I understand why you would go to any length to save your husband, but you are our king and we can’t afford to lose you. People love you.”

Jakub reached out to gently grasp the soldier’s shoulder. “Listen, I can’t promise you that nothing is going to happen to me. I’m a dragon and I won’t tolerate anybody kidnapping my mate.” _And threatening to rape them,_ he added in his thoughts. “I will make The Black King pay for this and I won’t rest until his chambers are bathed in his own blood. But what comes first for me is Łukasz’s safety. The witch that is helping us getting into the castle will bring Łukasz back to you, I promise you that. No matter what happens, in the end there will be someone sitting on the throne of the White Kingdom and it will not be The Black King.”

Roman didn’t look completely happy but he seemed to sense that there was no point in arguing with a determent dragon. He bowed his head in acknowledgement. “Thank you, your Majesty. I still hope you and your mate will both return to us safely.”

“I hope so too.”

They parted then as Roman turned away and Jakub stared after him for a moment, the human’s words having reminded him that there was more here at stake than his personal agenda. Even if it wasn’t for Łukasz, Jakub owed it to his people to make it back from his mission. They all needed him. And Jakub had no intention of disappointing them, not now or ever.

A grim sense of determination filled him while the ship was eventually setting sail. Jakub watched the coast becoming smaller with each minute and suddenly he felt cold, the harsh wind of the sea making him feel unwelcome. Jakub swallowed hard before turning away, tensing when he saw that Franck was standing behind him and watching him with a knowing expression. He didn’t say anything though, walking into the direction of his crew and leaving Jakub to think of his own.

The dragon let out a sigh, his thoughts inevitably drifting back to his mate. He missed Łukasz so much. It had been two days now that since he had been abducted and the worry was already tearing Jakub apart. He could only hope he would reach the Black Kingdom soon and be able to save his beloved heart before it was too late...


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My dear Blue_Night
> 
> see what you've done? There will indeed be more than the planned two chapters I'm afraid and you are as much to blame as my characters! :-*  
> I will answer to your e-mail as soon as possible and hope to have the next chapter ready by next weekend, but I can't make any promises as I have another stressful week ahead.

 

 

**Chapter 2**

 

For the second night in a row, Jakub had a much too real dream.

Łukasz was lying in a large bed, completely silent but his body alert and tense as though he was waiting for something. He was still dressed in daytime clothes though Jakub noted with anger that they were not his own but a black, soft fabric that had been most likely given to him by The Black King. 

After a few minutes of just lying on top of the covers, the blond finally rose from the bed, his bare feet making no sound as he crossed the room. He stopped at the cupboard to open one of the drawers and Jakub was surprised to see him pull out a familiar dagger. Jakub had gifted it to him on the day of their engagement, a long curved blade with magical runes engraved in it. Jakub would have thought that The Black King or at least his guards had taken the dagger as there could never come any good of a prisoner owning a weapon. 

If Jakub could, he would have smiled when he saw his mate taking the dagger before making his way to the door. His chances at succeeding to escape might be small but he wouldn’t be a dragon’s mate if he surrendered to his fate that easily. Łukasz took a deep breath, his hand behind his back closing tightly around the shaft of the weapon before he gently knocked on the door. It opened to reveal the only man guarding the room, the one Jakub remembered being called Javi.

“Do you require anything, Mylord?” the guard asked but he had barely finished before Łukasz had surged forward with inhuman speed, his free hand clasping tightly over Javi’s mouth before he pushed the blade of the dagger into the human’s stomach. Javi’s scream of pain was muffled by Łukasz’s hand over his mouth.

“I’m sorry,” Łukasz whispered with honest regret as he finally let go, Javi’s unconscious body tumbling to the ground while dark blood was pooling around him. 

Jakub did not waste time for him, he would most likely bleed out if no one found him before dawn. Jakub had never thought of himself as a cruel man but he could not feel sympathy for someone harming his mate even though the guard had only been following orders. He focused on Łukasz again, his dream-self getting tugged along with the blond who was hurrying further down the corridor. There were barely any guards patrolling this part of the castle and Łukasz was intelligent enough to avoid them. Jakub wondered briefly where his mate was heading because it was definitely not the gates downstairs. Instead Łukasz seemed to head for the highest tower, the grim determination that was written all over his face even visible in the dark of the night. Jakub couldn’t say he was completely surprised to realize that Łukasz was heading for the king’s private chambers. A dragon could not be killed by a mere weapon but the engravings of the dagger were designed to considerably weaken any creature and prevent it from healing by magic. If Łukasz managed to slid the king’s throat, he could even buy himself several hours. Not only enough time to flee but also enough time to cut out the dragon’s heart. Without it the king’s body would be a mere shell, unable to heal. The thought filled Jakub with anticipation though it was tinged with fear what would happen if Łukasz did not succeed.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by his mate faltering in his steps. There were two guards positioned at the door to the chambers, another wyvern and a human that were eying Łukasz with mild interest. Obviously they didn’t get many visitors at that time of day.

Jakub could feel Łukasz’s heart hammering hard in his chest, both of them convinced that it was over, their plan had failed. But to their surprise one of the guards – the human – tilted his head, his voice barely audible as he asked. “Do you wish to grant access to the king’s bedroom?”

Łukasz had no other choice but to nod, confused when the guard turned to the door and opened it silently. The man said nothing, only looked at Łukasz expectantly. The latter still had his blood-stained dagger in his hand and yet the two guards looked completely calm, no one of them even trying to pull out their sword against him.

Perhaps The Black King had more enemies than Jakub had anticipated…

Carefully Łukasz approached the door, expecting the guards to attack him any moment but nothing of the sort happened. He left the door open, not daring to close it behind him for fear of the guards disappearing to alert the rest of the castle. The orange light of the torches from the corridor illuminated the entrance of the room, their warm light a stark contrast to the cold, silver moonlight coming through the windows. The room was as huge as Jakub had expected considering The Black King truly seemed unable to take on a human form. Indeed there was a large black creature sleeping peacefully at the far end of the room. This time Jakub’s vision was not blurred and he could make out the features of his enemy, having to admit begrudgingly that The Black King had not been exaggerating when he had claimed that he was ‘pleasing to the eyes’.

To be honest he was beautiful. His black scales looked as soft as human skin, his tall form was lithe, showing both strength and elegance. He was sleeping stretched out with his head resting on his front paws, his chest rising and falling steadily in his peaceful sleep. Jakub could not be as annoyed as he wanted to be when Łukasz hesitated, his eyes taking in the dragon’s attractive appearance. But then the blond finally walked closer, careful to make no sound, even holding his breath. The dragon did not stir as Łukasz knelt down beside him, raising his dagger until the cold blade was touching the vulnerable curve of the dragon’s throat. Just as Łukasz wanted to slice the dark skin, the dragon’s voice broke the silence.

“ _You took your time, Łukasz_.”

The latter froze in fear, staring the still closed eyes of the king. Jakub felt raw fear wrapping around his heart, wishing with all his might that he could wake up and find his mate sleeping beside him; that all of this had only been a terrible nightmare. But he didn’t wake up.

The dragon let out a rumble that sounded a lot like laughter.  _“Your courage is admirable, my treasure, but did you really think I would let you kill me so easily?”_

Łukasz swallowed hard. “I’m not your treasure. And you are a fool if you believe I could ever want to be.”

For a moment there was no response, a heavy silence settling between them. Jakub halfway expected the king to finally use force to make Łukasz his. But then the dragon raised his head, the dagger of the blood cutting through the dark skin on his throat, releasing a thin thread of black blood.  _“Are you sure about that, Łukasz?”_

And then he opened his eyes for the first time. 

Jakub had barely time to realize they were the most captivating cerulean he had ever seen before he got crushed by the feelings coming from his mate – shock, confusion, fear, desire – and home. Home…

Jakub could feel himself losing his grip on the dream, threatening to wake up but he struggled against waking up, needing to see his mate’s reaction before his jealousy and possessiveness would tear him apart. 

It probably would have been wiser to wake up instead of seeing what happened then. A soft whimper escaped Łukasz’s lips, his voice breaking when he asked. “How is this possible? How can I feel like I belong to you when I already have a mate?”

The words were so unexpected that Jakub could not even try to keep them from ripping his heart to pieces. Of all people that he would have expected to deceive him, his mate had never been one of them. He was so shocked that he almost missed the dragon’s reply.

“ _He will understand. Let me take care of that matter, all you need to do is wait here. Your mate will cross the border to my kingdom tomorrow and he will come to me.”_

“You should let me go and talk with him.” Łukasz argued. “He will never believe you, he will most likely not even hear you out.”

The dragon’s wings spread suddenly, their tips grazing the ceiling of the room.  _“No, I can’t let you leave again. He would not allow you to come back to me and without a completed bond, I have no right over you.”_

Łukasz took a step forward but then he hesitated. “I can’t complete the bond with you. I want to but I would break Kuba’s heart if I did.”

The dragon didn’t look particularly surprised, a fond expression in his eyes that cut through Jakub’s fog of pain even though it was obviously not directed at him. _“Leave htat problem to me. Now let us chase away the loneliness tearing at both our hearts.”_ When Łukasz looked confused he added softly. _“Lie down beside me. I want you to wake up in my arms.”_ Jakub could feel how badly his mate wanted to give in, but the latter bit his lip, looking conflicted and prompting the king to add. “ _I said that I won’t force myself on you and I stand by my word.”_ Slwoly Łukasz came closer, stretching out beside the massive dragon and allowing one of the large wings to cover him like a blanket, the same position he took the rare times that he and Jakub were sleeping together in their true forms. The memory hurt. There was still anxiousness in Łukasz’s body and Jakub tried to cling to this last strand that might indicate that Łukasz was only acting this way. But of course this hope was taken from him as well when the dragon whispered. “ _I promise, Łukasz,_ _I won’t touch you_.”

Łukasz chuckled though it was tinged with longing. “You already are.”

Nevertheless he snuggled closer against the black dragon’s chest, the last bit of tension draining from his body. For a moment it was completely still, then the dragon opened his fascinating eyes again and he turned his head to the side. Jakub was shocked to realize that the dragon was looking right at him. Not through him but actually  _at_ him.

But this couldn’t be possible, could it? Jakub was not actually there, this was only a dreamlike vision caused by his bond with Łukasz. Yet there was no mistaking those glowing blue eyes focusing on him, the snout curling into a pleased and almost challenging smile before the dragon’s voice was inside his head.

_I’m waiting for you, Kuba. We will meet soon. Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock._

And finally Jakub awoke from this strange dream, momentarily disorientated by the unfamiliar surroundings until he realized that he was lying on his cot, right on the ship that would bring him closer to his mate. And The Black King…

 

***

 

The two days on sea passed much faster than Jakub had anticipated and if he wasn’t so worried about his mate, he would even be able to say that he quite enjoyed himself. There was something calming about being on deck and Franck’s crew was a charming bunch of people. Apart from Franck and David, there was Arjen, the first officer who seemed rather reserved regarding their guest, obviously not trusting him which Jakub could understand. At first he had thought that Arjen must simply be a jerk but whenever Jakub watched him interact with the others, he could see genuine warmth and joy in those eyes, especially around his captain.

Then there was Sandro, a giant of a man with a bulky physique that stood in stark contrast to his big, soft eyes. Sandro was easy to be around with and seemed to be able to include Jakub in the crew’s activities without effort, making him feel more comfortable in the midst of those people Jakub barely knew than the dragon would have thought possible. Sandro’s best friend Arturo also seemed to have that rare ability though it took until the end of the first day until the man with the strange hair and tattoo-covered body opened up towards Jakub – once Jakub had joined Sandro for a song when they had all been a bit tipsy to be more precise.

And then there was Philipp who seemed to be the heart and soul of the ship. When Jakub had asked David about the small man with the prominent eyebrows and the dark, knowing eyes, the former had told him that Philipp had even been captain of this ship but had eventually retired as he had been convinced there were several men in the crew who were more comfortable with leading. According to David this was utterly ridiculous as Philipp had been one of the best captains this ship had ever had.

It was the last day on sea for Jakub, they would reach the Black Kingdom tomorrow morning. He had just downed his third shot, barely able to feel the alcohol entering his system. He was a dragon, it took  _a lot_ to get him drunk. 

It was funny though to watch the rest of the crew getting noisier and also clumsier by the minute, breaking out into old shanties or reminiscing tales of old times. When Jakub went downstairs to relieve himself, he had to suppress a grin at passing Franck and Arjen in front of the former’s cabin, Arjen pressing Franck tightly against the door while they were making out, both of them so immersed in each other that they didn’t even notice Jakub passing them as fast as he could, trying to stomp down his growing yearning for Łukasz’s presence. Nevertheless he couldn’t shake off his dream from two nights prior, wondering how much of it had been real.

Jakub was quietly leaning against the railing and sipping his fourth drink when he noticed a very sober Philipp walking over to him and joining him, his voice gentle when he started speaking. “So, Jakub, what is your deal? What business do you have with the Black Kingdom?”

Jakub had been prepared for someone asking him this question sooner rather than later. “I hope to make a profitable deal with one of my customers there.”

Philipp raised one of his eyebrows, a scolding glint in his eyes even when his voice remained calm. “I don’t like being lied to. If you don’t want to tell me, just say so.” He was about to turn away when Jakub reached out to grasp his wrist. He knew it would be wiser to keep his disguise and let the smaller man go but he suddenly wanted someone to talk to. And Philipp was definitely able to keep a secret and perhaps even understand.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lie to you but I can’t risk blowing my cover. The reason why I’m traveling to the Black Kingdom is my husband.”

Philipp stilled. “Your husband?”

Jakub nodded, unable to meet the other man’s eyes. “He was abducted by soldiers of the Black Kingdom a few days ago. I’m trying to save him before it is too late.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” Philipp said softly before stepping closer, reaching out to touch Jakub’s back in a comforting manner. “But how do you plan to save him? You have no idea who exactly is holding him captive.”

Jakub’s face darkened at the thought of a black creature curling around his Łukasz. “Oh, I do. And I have a friend in The Black Kingdom, a White witch. He said he knows a way to get me to Łukasz.”

Philipp stroked his back once more before dropping his hand back to his side. “Then why are you so worried? I can feel the fear enclosing your heart.”

Jakub turned his head to finally meet Philipp’s gaze, wondering if his assumption that Philipp was a human, had been wrong. The man was far too attentive. “I’m worried because I had visions of my mate. They were definitely more than dreams, I’m absolutely sure of that. And they scare me.”

“Because you see bad things happening to your mate?” Philipp enquired with sympathy.

“No, not yet.” Jakub replied, feeling too vulnerable when he admitted. “But I see him giving in to his captivator’s advances, I even see desire in his eyes. I thought I knew Łukasz. I never thought it possible that he would betray me.”  
Philipp seemed to think carefully about his words before responding. “Well, I don’t know your Łukasz but don’t you think it’s possible that he is only acting this way to please his kidnapper? Perhaps he is only protecting himself and hoping to gain a longer leash this way. To find a way to escape.”

Jakub had thought of that too. “No, I’Ve seen the look in his eyes. He can’t fool me, his desire was real.”

“Well then, assuming how powerful your kidnapper must be to get away with stealing the mate of a dragon, I guess he could make this vision up.” 

Jakub was too shocked at being found out to properly process the human’s words. “How do you know that I’m a dragon? I was sure that you are only human.”

Philipp smiled gleefully. “Oh, you are right, I am human. But I have witch blood in my veins, it’s just a path that I never went down. It doesn’t mean that I’m not attentive to magic and you, my dear Jakub, are oozing such strong magic that I felt like being hit by a brick wall the first time I saw you.”

Jakub blinked several times, readjusting his opinion of Philipp before finally being able to focus on his earlier words. “What do you mean the kidnapper could have made the vision up?”

“Well, since your mate isn’t dead yet and you received no message asking for ransom, I assume the kidnapper wants you to come to him. And you’re a dragon, so he is either incredibly stupid to abduct your mate or he believes he is strong enough to hold his ground against you. Only another dragon would be able to and dragons are skilled with magic, right? So isn’t it possible that he wanted you to have such a vision that you would start doubting your mate. A dragon’s strengths are his possessiveness and his beliefs. If you start doubting yourself or your belief in your mate’s fidelity is shaken, chances of defeating you are a lot higher, aren’t they?”

“Probably,” Jakub responded amazed. This human’s intelligence was starting to scare him.

Philipp smiled. “Then this might be the true reason for your vision. This or your Łukasz falling for someone he was always destined to be with.”  
Jakub growled. “No, he is mine!”

Philipp took a sip from Jakub’s drink. “I meant no offense, my friend.”  
He was about to turn away again and this time Jakub let him but he felt immense gratitude for the human – or was it a witch? – for erasing his doubts and it that made him call after Philipp. “Thank you, Philipp. Honestly.”

Philipp smiled gently, lowering his voice so only Jakub could hear him. “Glad to be of help. Have a good night, Your Majesty.”

Jakub was too shocked to respond, staring after Philipp with disbelief. This human was far too attentive indeed.

 


End file.
